Aggression Flashcards
1
Q
Which areas of the brain have been linked to aggression
A
- limbic system
- temporal lobe
2
Q
Limbic system- what it is
A
- helps co-ordinate behaviour especially emotion and motivation
- key emotions are aggression and fear
3
Q
What are the two parts of the brain made up of for the limbic system
A
Amygdala
Hippocampus
4
Q
Amygdala- what it is
A
- gives us anger
- fast immediate response when in a situation
- very primitive part of the brain
- artificially stimulate and animals amygdala they will no longer experience rage
5
Q
Hippocampus- what is it
A
- memory- learn suitable responses based on past experiences
- responsible for memory
- damage to the hippocami can affect our normal response to aggression stimuli
6
Q
Serotonin- what is it
A
A neurotransmitter which is linked to the inhibition of emotional reactions to stimuli by inhibiting the amygdala.
7
Q
Serotonin- explanation
A
- higher serotonin means you are more able to resist and emotional response
- lower levels means more likely to react in an emotional way
- level of serotonin activity in the brain is measured by turnover- how much is produced and then broken down
8
Q
Evaluating neural influences on aggression
Positives
A
- there is a lot of evidence from animal studies that low serotonin turnover is linked to an increase in aggression
- Higley et al studied a group of 49 rhesus monkeys over 4 years. They determined each individual’s serotonin turnover. Monkeys with lower serotonin were observed to be more aggressive. After 4 years 11 monkeys had died or were missing. All of the monkeys in the highest serotonin turnover survived and the 4 who had died because of aggressive encounters were all in the lowest group
9
Q
Evaluating neural influences
Negatives
A
- lots of evidence saying serotonin is linked to aggression, lacking when it comes to them saying it causes aggression
- animal studies show a strong link between low serotonin and aggression, doesn’t mean the link is the cause
- also can’t generalise animals to humans
- lab studies have low ecological validity
10
Q
Testosterone- what is it
A
- a hormone which is significantly more plentiful in men then women.
- levels peak in young men from adolescence onwards, before declining through adulthood
- Responsible for the development of make characteristics
11
Q
Why is testosterone linked to aggression
A
- men are statistically more likely to engage in violence
- they become more aggressive when they hit puberty
- it has been argued that this indicates testosterone is related to aggression
12
Q
Evaluation of testosterone
Positives
A
- prison inmates who were convicted of violent crimes had significantly higher testosterone levels than those with non-violent convictions (Dabbs et al).
- testosterone levels fluctuate due to events and social changes in aggression through the activation of the amygdala (carre and Olmstead)
13
Q
Evaluating testosterone
Negatives
A
- evidence doesn’t always suggest that testosterone has a direct link to aggressive behaviour
- prob.em with establishing cause and effect- this data (Dabbs) is only correlational
- another factor could be causing aggression
- Van Goozen et al, studied the effects of testosterone directly, this avoided having to depend on correlational data, which makes it easier to establish cause and effect
14
Q
Genetic factors
What are concordance rates
A
- this is the percentage given to a persons likelihood of developing a characteristic based on the prevalence of it in their family
15
Q
Genetic factors
Main points
A
- family studies in aggression into concordance rates of aggressive tendencies.
- cannot know how much is inherited or how much is due to the environmental factors
- conducted twin and adoption studies
